Tibilov, Sanakoyev qualify for South Ossetia presidential runoff

They gained 41.94% and 25.36%, respectively

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Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

TSKHINVAL, March 26 (Itar-Tass) —— Leonid Tibilov and David Sanakoyev qualified for a runoff of the South Ossetian presidential elections. They gained 41.94% and 25.36%, respectively, the republican Central Elections Commission reported on Sunday after 40% of votes were counted.

International observers did not find serious violations at the presidential election rerun in South Ossetia, they said summing up the results of the visits to the polling stations on Sunday.

Head of the delegation of the Russian Public Chamber Maxim Grigoryev stated that some violations were found, but they were settled rapidly. In particular, the observers noticed remaining canvassing materials near some polling stations and reported the cases, when representatives of candidates were campaigning at the polling stations, he said.

“The paradoxical situation has emerged in Verkhny Ruk, where South Ossetian citizens living in North Ossetia voted. All candidates accused each other of violations at a polling station in the settlement, but the observers did not find any violations,” Grigoryev said.

Grigoryev noted that in general the elections were organized well and passed in the calm atmosphere. “We witnessed that the situation is improving in the republic. There are some chances to consolidate political forces to settle social and economic problems,” he pointed out.

“We were glad to note that the elections were held in the organized way, and the election legislative base made it possible to hold the Election Day without any serious violations,” an observer from the Federation Council Viktor Ozerov said. Ozerov noted that the protest vote got a low percentage. According to him, this fact shows that the election programs of the candidates contained interesting initiatives to restore the republic. “The elections in South Ossetia were held according to the highest international standards,” he concluded.